Johnstone
Farm discovered they could produce a variety of cut flowers well and sell
them off the farm and at the Greensboro Curb Market. The cut flowers are a
good companion crop to their blueberries.They averaged $100 a week from their cut flower sales. This was their
first year and they think they will produce cut flowers another season and
increase their customers next year and increase sales.

The
August 11, 2004 Cut Flower Farm Trial and Program was attended by fifteen
people. The evening was raining but they came with umbrellas! The people that
attended were serious about growing cut flowers commercially. At the program
there was very good audience participation and discussions.

The
Reidsville Review Newspaper printed an article on the program.

INTRODUCTION

A blueberry farmer and I conducted an on farm trail
of cut flowers. The flowers were to be a companion crop to his blueberries and
be sold off the farm and at the Greensboro Curb market where he sold his
blueberries.He had tried cut flowers
before and they were very discouraged.

AFarm Trial
Tour and Evening Program were held. Dr. Carl Niedziela from NC A &T was
conducting some Greenhouse Cut flower Trials in RockinghamCounty
was added to the program.

METHODS

The site the farmer chose for the trial needed some
pre-plant preparations.He hired a
neighboring farmer to prepare the soil for direct seeding of flowers. Tom took
a soil sample and applied fertilizer pre-plant and then twice more during the
growing season.Wet weather delayed the
first planting.The first planting of
Glads was May 14, 2004 and annual seeds May 25, 2004.The second planting of glads, annual seeds,
and ageratum transplants was June 14, 2004.The zinnias were sprayed with a fungicide three times during the season.
The herbicide Preen was applied to the rows as well as hoeing to control weeds.
Since we used border glads no staking was required.

RESULTS

The
Rudbeckia seeds never germinated. The border glads, zinnias, pollen free
sunflowers, and ageratum produced and sold very well. The earlier plantings
produced larger numbers of plants, higher yields, and healthier looking
flowers.

The
Johnstones started harvesting cut flowers July 16th and sold at the
Greensboro Curb Market for the first time July 17, 2004.They averaged $100 a week on flower sales.
The flowers sold faster in already prepared bunches compared to single stem
flowers.

CONCLUSION

Tom
and Deuard Johnstone were very impressed with the results of the trial both
yield and sales. They plan to plant cut flowers again and make sure they have
even earlier flowers to go with the blueberries. Other people who attended the
field day and farm trial will produce more flowers too, especially the border
glads that are longer than they expected. All the people at the program asked
for grant money!

I
learned a lot about cut flowers and the selling of the flowers.The Program with Carl Niedziela from NC
A&T on his greenhouse cut flower work was very informative too.